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Digitization, IPR and Access to Traditional Medicine Knowledge in Developing Countries

– the Nigerian Experience

Gideon Emcee Christian

December 2008

International Development Research Centre

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The Outline

• Introduction • Documentation of Traditional Medicine

Knowledge in Nigeria• IPR and access to traditional medicine

knowledge• Conclusion

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IntroductionWHO

• Traditional medicine include a diversity of health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs incorporating plant, animal, and/or mineral-based medicines; spiritual therapies; manual techniques; and exercises, applied singly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose, or prevent illness.

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Why document and digitize?

• Preservation of traditional knowledge• Protection from biopiracy • Advanced R&D

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Documentation of Traditional Medicine Knowledge in Nigeria

Key Players

• Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA)

• Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD)

• Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDCP)

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Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA)

• An agency of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

• Established in 1997 with the strategic mandate to research, develop, collate, document and promote Nigeria Traditional Health Care System.

• To integrate same into the national health care delivery system and to contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

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NNMDA Projects– Biodiversity of the Sukur-World Heritage Site in

North-East Nigeria– Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South West Nigeria

Vol. 1– Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North central Nigeria

Vol. 1– Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South East Nigeria

Vol. 1– Abstracts of Published Research Findings on Nigeria

Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine Practice

Sukur-World Heritage Site• Very hilly landscape • The people in the area depend practically on traditional medicine

derived from the bio-resources around them for their health care needs.

• An exceptional landscape which graphically illustrates a form of land-use that marks a critical stage in human settlement and its relationship with its environment.

• The cultural landscape and biological resources has survived unchanged for many centuries, and continues to do so at a period when such settlement and resources have come under threat in many parts of the world.

• The cultural landscape of Sukur is eloquent testimony to a strong and continuing cultural tradition that has endured for many centuries.

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Characteristics

9Sukur.infocaboose.org.uk

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caboose.org.uk

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Biodiversity of the Sukur-World Heritage Site in North-East Nigeria

– A partnership with UNESCO– A total of 122 medicinal plants species belonging to 58

families where identified– 32 species were recorded for use in the treatment of

malaria, 14 species were recorded for use in the treatment of measles, rashes, scabies and boils.

– 16 species were recorded for use in the treatment of catarrh, asthma, pneumonia, cough and sore throat; 12 species were recorded for use in the treatment of STD. 8 were found to be useful in the treatment of dysentery. etc

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Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South West Nigeria Vol. 1

– A total of 117 medicinal plant species belonging to 58 families were identified with the assistance of the Traditional Medicine Practitioners.

– Over 72 plant species were recorded for use in the treatment of malaria and other forms of fever, about 52 are used in various formulations to treat different kinds of skin diseases while 50 were recorded for use in childbirth and other reproductive problems. Additionally, 30 species were identified as worm expellers and 25 for rheumatism.

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Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – North central Nigeria Vol. 1

– Documented 102 medicinal plants species

belonging to 48 families.– 12 plants species for the treatment of malaria and

other fevers.– 24 species are used in the treatment of various skin

diseases while over 29 other species are for treatment of various reproductive health issues

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Medicinal Plants of Nigeria – South East Nigeria Vol. 1

– Documented 188 medicinal plants species belonging to 48 families

– 33 of the plant species are for the treatment of malaria and other forms of fever

– 30 plant species were for the treatment of various forms of skin diseases

– 19 plant species were for the treatment of diabetes etc

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Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD)

– Established with the primary objective of developing drugs, biological products and pharmaceutical raw materials from indigenous resources.

– Though the main objective of the Institute is drug discovery and development, the process of drug discovery and development especially from local sources inevitably involved documentation.

– Currently runs two major TMK projects funded the Nigeria Government and the World Bank respectively.

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NIPRD

Major AchievementDevelopment of Sickle Cell Drug

Challenges– Documentation, No Digitization – Lack of digitization capacity and facilities– Funding for the NIPRD’s projects do not often

cover provisions for digitization

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Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme (BDCP)

– An NGO– Runs series of research and bio-prospecting programmes

in Nigeria and in parts of West Central Africa.– Has a large network of collaborators– Currently running a documentation project on the

Obanshi-Okwangwo forest complex in Calabar, South-eastern Nigeria.

– Established a database of African medicinal plants and CISAMAP - Computerized Information System of African Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

Observations

– Lack of unified coordination– Lack of resources (financial/logistics)– Fear by traditional knowledge holders– Inadequate legislative framework

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IPR and access to traditional medicine knowledge

– TMK is collectively owned and shared

– Western IPR has the potential to erode TMK

– Sustainable framework should preserve the communal rights characteristic of TMK and enhance access to TMK

Indigenous Knowledge Workshop, Univ. of Ibadan, April 2009

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Indigenous Knowledge Workshop, Univ. of Ibadan, April 2009

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Proposed Bill • Proposed the establishment of the Traditional Knowledge

and Biological Resources Management Board (The Board)• The Board is to act on behalf of the local communities in

the exercise of their right in relation to exploitation of their biological resources and TMK.

• The Board is to set up a system of documentation and maintain a Database of Traditional Knowledge and Biological Resources

• Grant of right of access to TMK and resources as well as application for patent cannot be filled without the consent of the local community/individual.

• Grant of patent shall not affect customary right of the local communities.

Proposed Bill

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• Vested ownership of TMK on the local community or individual as the case may be.

• Access to TMK of a community shall be subject to the grant of PIC by the community.

• Benefit sharing arrangement• Representatives of the relevant community must be present

at a meeting where application for access are considered.

Loophole• Provision with regards to benefit sharing and ownership of

patented TMK is not clear.

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End of PresentationAcknowledgements:

Michael ClarkKathryn TouréIDRC-WARO

Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA)Nigeria Institute for Pharmaceutical Research &

Development (NIPRD)Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme

(BDCP)